WASHINGTON — Sens. Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe of Maine are the two least conservative Republican senators, according to 2011 vote ratings released Friday by the nonpartisan National Journal.

The publication issues annual conservative and liberal rankings of members of Congress, putting together a composite score based on key votes on economic, social and foreign policy issues. Collins and Snowe have usually been in the middle of the Senate in the annual National Journal ratings.

For 2011, of the 47 Senate Republicans, Collins’ conservative rating ranks her 47th, last among GOP senators, while Snowe’s rating comes in 46th.

In the House, Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-1st District, a member of the House Progressive Caucus, is rated the 53rd most liberal lawmaker. Rep. Mike Michaud, D-2nd District, a member of the Blue Dog coalition of fiscally conservative Democrats, is rated the 130th most liberal House member.

The ratings are based on 97 Senate votes and 105 House votes during 2011. An example of votes by Collins and Snowe that affected their ratings: Both voted for the confirmation of Edward Chen to the U.S. District Court in California, while 42 GOP senators voted no.

In the Senate, Democrats Kirsten Gillibrand of New York and Jeff Merkley of Oregon tied for most liberal last year, while Republican Tom Coburn of Oklahoma was rated most conservative. In the House, 19 Democrats tied for most liberal and 10 Republicans tied for most conservative.

‘WE MIGHT BE UNDER FIRE AGAIN’

The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard’s civilian payroll totaled $408.3 million last year, says a group representing shipyard employees, businesses and public officials.

The Seacoast Shipyard Association releases its economic impact study every year. But the report the group released Friday was against the backdrop of a potential new base closure threat to the shipyard in Kittery, which employs about 4,700 civilians and about 100 military personnel.

The study also included some other Navy organizations on the site, bringing its estimate of the total employment to about 5,100. The yard’s military payroll totaled $40.5 million, including Coast Guard personnel, the study said.

The shipyard, which overhauls nuclear submarines, was placed on the Defense Department’s base closure list in 2005, but that recommendation was overturned by the independent Base Realignment and Closure Commission.

The Obama administration has requested that Congress approve new base closure rounds in 2013 and 2015. Maine and New Hampshire lawmakers say the shipyard does valuable work, but a defense analyst says the yard could be vulnerable because there will be less work in the future overhauling nuclear submarines.

This year, the report alerts the community “that we might be under fire again,” said Neil Rolde, the association’s chairman. “It’s a way of increasing their concern because they can see more clearly how this facility affects the economy of this area.”

‘THE INVISIBLE WAR’

Rep. Chellie Pingree will play the roles of host and participant when the Maine Democrat hosts a screening Tuesday on Capitol Hill of a movie examining the issue of sexual assaults in the military.

“The Invisible War” won the Audience Award for Best Documentary at this year’s Sundance movie festival. It includes an interview with Pingree, who has authored a bill seeking to ease hurdles to disability benefits for veterans who have been sexually assaulted during their military service. The movie also includes interviews with victims Pingree has met with, said Willy Ritch, Pingree’s spokesman.

“When we first started talking about this, there were half a dozen or so veterans in the VA system in Maine seeking help for sexual assault — now there are 50 to 60,” Ritch said, adding that Pingree hopes to bring the movie to Maine.

COLLINS: FDA NEEDS MORE POWER

Sen. Susan Collins applauded the decision by federal regulators last week to allow the import into the United States of two cancer treatment drugs that haven’t been available from domestic suppliers in recent months.

But the Maine Republican said the shortages of the drugs doxorubicin and methotrexate, which stem from problems at suppliers’ factories, show the need to pass legislation she has co-authored that requires drug manufacturers to alert the U.S. Food and Drug Administration of any incident that could cause a drug shortage.

FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg told The Associated Press last week that her agency has been able to prevent shortages through manufacturers voluntarily notifying the FDA about expected shortages.

Collins says the FDA needs more power.

“I remain concerned about numerous other drugs still in short supply, many having no effective substitute,” Collins said in a prepared statement. “It is vital that Congress act to give the FDA the tools it needs to address the current shortages and prevent future ones.”

GRANT HELPS AID FARMERS

The University of Maine’s work to address the needs of farmers with disabilities got a federal funding boost last week.

The school received a nearly $166,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s AgrAbility program, according to the offices of Republican Maine Sens. Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe. The grant was among $4.1 million provided nationwide by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture to land grant universities that join with nonprofit disability organizations to aid farmers with disabilities.

Here at MaineToday Media we value our readers and are committed to growing our community by encouraging you to add to the discussion.

To ensure conscientious dialogue we have implemented a strict no-bullying policy. To participate, you must follow our Terms of Use. Click here to flag and report a comment that violates our terms of use.